F.G. van Oort (Frank)http://repub.eur.nl/ppl/7391/
List of Publicationsenhttp://repub.eur.nl/eur_signature.pnghttp://repub.eur.nl/
RePub, Erasmus University RepositoryModeling knowledge networks in economic geographyhttp://repub.eur.nl/pub/59193/
Tue, 10 Jun 2014 00:00:01 GMT<div>T. Broekel</div><div>V. Balland</div><div>M.J. Burger</div><div>F.G. van Oort</div>
The importance of network structures for the transmission of knowledge and the diffusion of technological change has been recently emphasized in economic geography. Since network structures drive the innovative and economic performance of actors in regional contexts, it is crucial to explain how networks form and evolve over time and how they facilitate inter-organizational learning and knowledge transfer. The analysis of relational dependent variables, however, requires specific statistical procedures. In this paper, we discuss four different models that have been used in economic geography to explain the spatial context of network structures and their dynamics. First, we review gravity models and their recent extensions and modifications to deal with the specific characteristics of networked (individual level) relations. Second, we discuss the quadratic assignment procedure that has been developed in mathematical sociology for diminishing the bias induced by network dependencies. Third, we present exponential random graph models that not only allow dependence between observations, but also model such network dependencies explicitly. Finally, we deal with dynamic networks, by introducing stochastic actor-oriented models. Strengths and weaknesses of the different approach are discussed together with domains of applicability the geography of innovation studies.The Magnitude and Distance Decay of Trade in Goods and Serviceshttp://repub.eur.nl/pub/51097/
Fri, 07 Mar 2014 00:00:01 GMT<div>M.J. Burger</div><div>M.J.P.M. Thissen</div><div>F.G. van Oort</div><div>D. Diodato</div>
__Abstract__
Using a newly assembled, consistent and disaggregated dataset (12 goods and 7 services) on internal and bilateral trade for 25 European countries, we analyse the difference between trade in goods and services. The measurement of both trade in goods and trade in services is improved over earlier research, allowing us to compare trade in goods and services in a coherent and systematic way. First, our dataset is made consistent with the domestic demand and production and the total exports and imports at the sector and product level. Second, we explicitly control for re-exports. We find that, although goods are more often bilaterally traded than services, the volume of bilateral trade in services does not attenuate less with distance than the volume of bilateral trade in goodsFunctional and Sectoral Division of Labour within Central and Eastern European Countrieshttp://repub.eur.nl/pub/77090/
Wed, 01 Jan 2014 00:00:01 GMT<div>T. Dogaru</div><div>M.J. Burger</div><div>F.G. van Oort</div><div>B. Karreman</div>
In this paper, we analyse the sectoral and functional division of labour in Central and Eastern European (CEE) regions within the convergence debate. By analysing the investment decisions of multinational corporations in 49 NUTS‐2 regions across 6 European CEE countries (Poland, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania, and Bulgaria), we show that capital city regions not only receive more greenfield FDI but also attract a larger variety of investments in terms of sectors and functions. Capital cities are more likely to host higher‐end sectors and functions, which provides an explanation for the existing regional disparities within CEE countries. These results highlight the importance of functional and sectoral divisions of labour in the view of regional profiling and contribute to the recent EU Cohesion Policy debate.Regional Spatial Structure and Retail Amenities in the Netherlandshttp://repub.eur.nl/pub/40303/
Tue, 01 Jan 2013 00:00:01 GMT<div>M.J. Burger</div><div>E.J. Meijers</div><div>F.G. van Oort</div>
Burger M. J., Meijers E. J. and van Oort F. G. Regional spatial structure and retail amenities in the Netherlands, Regional Studies. This paper examines how the presence of retail amenities in Dutch regions is dependent on their spatial structure. Retail amenities, in particular those specialized retail functions that require a large urban support base, are less found in more polycentric and more dispersed regions. This can be explained by the observation that in polycentric and dispersed regions the degree of market fragmentation is higher as a result of more intense regional competition and spacing between retail centres. Evidence is found for ways to overcome the lack of agglomeration benefits in more polycentric and more dispersed regions. Both concentration of retail and more complementarities between cities' retail amenities may make up for the disadvantages of regions being polycentric or dispersed. These findings provide a rationale to coordinate regionally specialized retailing in polycentric and dispersed regions. Multilevel approaches and the firm-agglomeration ambiguity in economic growth studieshttp://repub.eur.nl/pub/38072/
Sun, 01 Jul 2012 00:00:01 GMT<div>F.G. van Oort</div><div>M.J. Burger</div><div>J. Knoben</div><div>O. Raspe</div>
Empirical studies in spatial economics have shown that agglomeration economies may be a source of the uneven distribution of economic activities and economic growth across cities and regions. Both localization and urbanization economies are hypothesized to foster agglomeration and growth, but recent meta-analyses of this burgeoning body of empirical research show that the results are ambiguous. Recent overviews show that this ambiguity is fueled by measurement issues and heterogeneity in terms of scale of time and space, aggregation, growth definitions and the functional form of the models applied. Alternatively, in this paper, we argue that ambiguity may be due to a lack of research on firm-level performance in agglomerations. This research is necessary because the theories that underlie agglomeration economies are microeconomic in nature. Hierarchical or multilevel modeling, which allows micro levels and macro levels to be modeled simultaneously, is becoming an increasingly common practice in the social sciences. As illustrated by detailed Dutch data on firm-level productivity, employment growth and firm survival, we argue that these approaches are also suitable for reducing the ambiguity surrounding the agglomeration-firm performance relationship and for addressing spatial, sectoral and cross-level heterogeneity. Multilevel Approaches and the Firm-Agglomeration Ambiguity in Economic Growth Studies
http://repub.eur.nl/pub/31776/
Thu, 16 Feb 2012 00:00:01 GMT<div>F.G. van Oort</div><div>M.J. Burger</div><div>J. Knoben</div><div>O. Raspe</div>
Empirical studies in spatial economics have shown that agglomeration economies may be a source of the uneven distribution of economic activities and economic growth across cities and regions. Both localization and urbanization economies are hypothesized to foster agglomeration and growth, but recent meta-analyses of this burgeoning body of empirical research show that the results are ambiguous. Recent overviews show that this ambiguity is fuelled by measurement issues and heterogeneity in terms of scale of time and space, aggregation, growth definitions, and the functional form of the models applied. Alternatively, in this paper, we argue that ambiguity may be due to a lack of research on firm-level performance in agglomerations. This research is necessary because the theories that underlie agglomeration economies are microeconomic in nature. Hierarchical or multilevel modeling, which allows micro levels and macro levels to be modeled simultaneously, is becoming an increasingly common practice in the social sciences. As illustrated by detailed Dutch data on firm-level productivity, employment growth and firm survival, we argue that these approaches are also suitable for reducing the ambiguity surrounding the agglomeration-firm performance relationship and for addressing spatial, sectoral and cross-level heterogeneity.
House Prices, Bubbles and City Sizehttp://repub.eur.nl/pub/20380/
Thu, 15 Jul 2010 00:00:01 GMT<div>M.J.P.M. Thissen</div><div>M.J. Burger</div><div>F.G. van Oort</div>
We build a theoretical model that relates house price, city size and the expected future growth of demand for housing. Our model combines the Alonso-Mills model on urban economics with insights from financial economics on house prices. Estimating the model for cities in the US, we empirically validate the positive effect of city size on urban house prices. Moreover, our estimations confirm that an (unrealistic) increase in the expected growth of demand fuelled by the widespread availability of credit provides a better explanation for the recent bubble than inelastic housing supply that explained earlier bubbles.Agglomeration and New Establishment Survival: A Mixed Hierarchical and Cross-Classified Modelhttp://repub.eur.nl/pub/19519/
Wed, 28 Apr 2010 00:00:01 GMT<div>M.J. Burger</div><div>F.G. van Oort</div><div>O. Raspe</div>
Recent empirical studies in regional science and urban economics show that agglomeration economies may be one source of the uneven distribution of economic activities and economic growth across cities and regions. At the same time, the body of research into the importance of agglomeration economies for the performance of firms is still growing. Such development is necessary, as the theories that underlie agglomeration economies are microeconomic in nature, but still insufficiently understood. In this study, we focus on the determinants of survival among new establishments in the advanced producer services sector in the Netherlands. Employing a mixed hierarchical and cross-classified probit regression, we introduce a model of establishment survival that is specific to characteristics of the internal and external environment of the establishment. Controlling for firm and sector characteristics, we conclude that location accounts for about 4% of the variance in the probability of survival of new establishments. We also find that localization and urbanization economies have a positive effect on the survival of new establishments. However, new establishments with large start-up sizes appear to profit more from agglomeration economies than new establishments with small start-up sizes.On the Economic Foundation of the Urban Network Paradigm: Spatial Integration, Functional Integration and Economic Complementarities within the Dutch Randstadhttp://repub.eur.nl/pub/19534/
Thu, 01 Apr 2010 00:00:01 GMT<div>F.G. van Oort</div><div>M.J. Burger</div><div>O. Raspe</div>
Conceptually, the degrees of spatial and functional integration and urban complementarities in economic network relations are hypothesised to be important. In this paper, data on interfirm relations in the Dutch Randstad are used to test conditions for integration and the existence of economic complementarities. A clear hierarchy is observed in the different types of spatial interdependencies in the Randstad, in which the central place model prevails. Furthermore, no evidence is found for the functional integration of municipalities in the Randstad. It is concluded that, at this moment, the Randstad does not function as a spatially and functionally integrated region and that spatial economic policy can better focus on smaller regions within the Randstad. This also calls into question the applicability of the urban network concept in general, as the Dutch Randstad is usually seen as a prime example of an economically successful polycentric urban system.The geography of Chinese and Indian Greenfield investments in Europehttp://repub.eur.nl/pub/76399/
Mon, 01 Mar 2010 00:00:01 GMT<div>M.J. Brienen</div><div>M.J. Burger</div><div>F.G. van Oort</div>
Using a dataset of greenfield investments for the period of 1997-2008, the paper by three Dutch researchers seeks to determine to what extent Chinese and Indian foreign direct investment (FDI) in Europe is attracted to specific regional location factors. The authors utilize descriptive statistics and a negative binominal estimation method to analyze the number of greenfield investments, in an effort to explain why Chinese and Indian FDI is quite unevenly distributed across Europe. Support is marshaled for the hypothesis that Chinese and Indian FDI is more horizontal than vertical in character, and that divergence over time between current core European locations and more peripheral ones is increasing. CopyrightFunctional polycentrism and urban network development in the greater South East, United Kingdom: Evidence from commuting patterns, 1981-2001http://repub.eur.nl/pub/67025/
Mon, 08 Feb 2010 00:00:01 GMT<div>B. de Goei</div><div>M.J. Burger</div><div>F.G. van Oort</div><div>M. Kitson</div>
__Abstract__
De Goei B., Burger M. J., Van Oort F. G. and Kitson M. Functional polycentrism and urban network development in the Greater South East, United Kingdom: evidence from commuting patterns, 1981-2001, Regional Studies. In contemporary literature on changing urban systems, it is often argued that the traditional central place conceptualization is outdated and should be replaced by a network view that emphasizes the increasing criss-crossing pattern of interdependencies between spatial units. This paper tests how urban networks develop by looking at commuting patterns in the Greater South East, United Kingdom, for the period 1981-2001. Although the empirical results indicate that the Greater South East cannot be currently characterized as a polycentric urban region or an integrated urban network, there is some evidence for urban network development at the local, intra-urban, level, and a decentralization of the system at the regional, inter-urban, level.On the Economic Foundation of the Urban Network Paradigm: Spatial Integration, Functional Integration and Economic Complementarities within the Dutch Randstadhttp://repub.eur.nl/pub/16214/
Mon, 29 Jun 2009 00:00:01 GMT<div>F.G. van Oort</div><div>M.J. Burger</div><div>O. Raspe</div>
The current debate on polycentric urban development suggests that inter-firm relations are important for the creation and sustainment of urban networks. Conceptually, the degrees of spatial and functional integration and urban complementarities in economic network relations are hypothesised to be important. However, the theoretical economic rationale has not been convincingly tested. In this paper, we use data on inter-firm relations in the Dutch Randstad to test conditions for integration and the existence of economic complementarities within this region. Contrary to the ‘polycentricity hypothesis’, we observe a clear hierarchy in the different types of spatial interdependencies in the Randstad, in which the central place model prevails. Furthermore, we do not find evidence for the functional integration of municipalities in the Randstad. We conclude that at this moment the Randstad does not function as a spatially and functionally integrated region, and that spatial economic policy can better focus on smaller regions within the Randstad when urban economic complementarities and integration are desired. This also calls into question the applicability of the urban network concept in general, as the Dutch Randstad is usually seen as a prime example of an economically successful polycentric urban system.Functional Polycentrism and Urban Network Development in the Greater South East UK: Evidence from Commuting Patterns, 1981-2001http://repub.eur.nl/pub/16213/
Thu, 25 Jun 2009 00:00:01 GMT<div>B. de Goei</div><div>M.J. Burger</div><div>F.G. van Oort</div><div>M. Kitson</div>
In contemporary literature on changing urban systems, it is often argued that the traditional central place conceptualisation is outdated and should be replaced by a network view that emphasises the increasing criss-crossing pattern of interdependencies between spatial units. This paper tests for urban network development by looking at commuting patterns in the Greater South East UK. The analysis is based on census commuting interaction data for three points in time during the past three decades (1981, 1991, and 2001). Although the empirical results indicate that the Greater South East UK can still not be characterized as a polycentric urban region or integrated urban network, there is some evidence for urban network development at the local, intra-urban, level as well as a decentralization of the system at the regional, inter-urban, level.Networks and economic agglomerations: Introduction to the special issuehttp://repub.eur.nl/pub/18040/
Fri, 20 Mar 2009 00:00:01 GMT<div>M.J. Burger</div><div>F.G. van Oort</div><div>K. Frenken</div><div>G.A. van der Knaap</div>
On the Specification of the Gravity Model of Trade: Zeros, Excess Zeros and Zero-Inflated Estimationhttp://repub.eur.nl/pub/14614/
Fri, 30 Jan 2009 00:00:01 GMT<div>M.J. Burger</div><div>F.G. van Oort</div><div>G.J.M. Linders</div>
Conventional studies of bilateral trade patterns specify a log-normal gravity equation for empirical estimation. However, the log-normal gravity equation suffers from three problems: the bias created by the logarithmic transformation, the failure of the homoscedasticity assumption, and the way zero values are treated. These problems normally result in biased and inefficient estimates. Recently, the Poisson specification of the trade gravity model has received attention as an alternative to the log-normality assumption (Santos Silva and Tenreyro, 2006). However, the standard Poisson model is vulnerable for problems of overdispersion and excess zero flows. To overcome these problems, this paper considers modified Poisson fixed-effects estimations (negative binomial, zero-inflated). Extending the empirical model put forward by Santos Silva and Tenreyro (2006), we show how these techniques may provide viable alternatives to both the log-normal and standard Poisson specification of the gravity model of trade.A Treatise on the Geographical Scale of Agglomeration Externalities and the Modifiable Areal Unit Problemhttp://repub.eur.nl/pub/13834/
Fri, 14 Nov 2008 00:00:01 GMT<div>M.J. Burger</div><div>F.G. van Oort</div><div>G.A. van der Knaap</div>
The modifiable areal unit problem (MAUP) refers to the sensitivity of statistical research results to the initial spatial nomenclature used. Despite a substantial literature in the related field of geography on the potential influence of the MAUP, the urban economic modeling tradition has not paid much attention to this issue. In this article, we test to what extent the MAUP moderates the effect of agglomeration externalities on areal sectoral employment growth by varying the initial geographical scale of analysis. Using spatial cross-regressive modeling in which we account for spatial spillover effects of agglomeration externalities, we find different effects of agglomeration forces across geographical scales. As the MAUP is a theoretical as well as a methodological problem, research should not only work with proper statistical specifications of spatial agglomeration models incorporating different geographical scales, but also relate this more explicitly to hypotheses concerning the geographical scale at which agglomeration externalities operate.A rather empty world: The many faces of distance and the persistent resistance to international tradehttp://repub.eur.nl/pub/61461/
Sat, 01 Nov 2008 00:00:01 GMT<div>G.J.M. Linders</div><div>M.J. Burger</div><div>F.G. van Oort</div>
Despite the rapid growth of world trade over the past several decades, international trade patterns remain very much affected by high trade costs. In this paper, we emphasize the importance of distance between countries in a proper explanation of the persistent resistance to trade. We find that both formal trade barriers (tariffs, transport costs, etc.) and informal trade barriers (related to cultural and institutional distances) between countries have retained their importance to trade. Not only are these tangible and intangible barriers critical in explaining the volume of trade between countries but they also help to explain the absence of trade between many countries.Agglomeration Economies and Entrepreneurship in the ICT Industryhttp://repub.eur.nl/pub/7639/
Wed, 29 Mar 2006 00:00:01 GMT<div>F.G. van Oort</div><div>F.C. Stam</div>
In this study indicators of agglomeration economies and their effect on entrepreneurship in the ICT industry are analysed in diverse urban contexts. Agglomeration economies have a stronger impact on new firm formation than on the growth of incumbent firms. Concentration and diversity both have a positive effect on new firm formation as well as on the growth of incumbent firms, while competition only has a positive effect on new firm formation. It is especially the effects of industrial diversity that are revealed to be sensitive to urban contexts: positive effects on new firm formation are attached to the connected cities and to the highly urbanized Randstad, and positive effects on firm growth to the intermediate zone, the connected cities and urban municipalities.Regional change of ICT using industries in the Netherlandshttp://repub.eur.nl/pub/65008/
Thu, 01 Dec 2005 00:00:01 GMT<div>L. van der Laan</div><div>F.G. van Oort</div><div>O. Raspe</div>
There are two classical and opposite perspectives on the effects of information and communication technology (ICT) on spatial economic development: dispersal or concentration. In this paper we analyse the dynamics in the spatial pattern of the ICT using industries in the period 1991-2002. We conclude that particularly the urban centres and the areas just outside of these centres had a loss of their share in the ICT-related employment and that the more rural areas are catching up. There is not a general dispersal of ICT-related employment over non-central areas though, but rather an emergence of new agglomeration areas at both the urban fringe and non-central locations within the urban system. ICT use as such does lead to spatial developments different from general spatial changes: not hi general trends but particularly in a much larger magnitude of the dynamics.